The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-08-30
COMRADES UNITED.
WatervlIIe's Citizens DO Honor to the
Veterans of the Twentieth.
The Exercises OF a Long to be Re-
membered Reunion.
Col. Bangs's Hospitality, the Speech
es and the Banquet.
Especial to the Press.l

| 80 esst1 ettC 60U4aOks
Especial to the Press.l
WATERvILLE, Aug. GA perfect day,
the generosity of Wateryille people, and the
unbounded liberality and hospitality of Col.
l. S. Rangs have combined to make the re-
union of the Twentieth Maine most pro-
nounced success. The elegant residence and
fine lawns of the Colonel, which he had in
vited the regiment to make their headquar-
ters, looked very inviting to the visiting
comrades as they made their way down from
the trains. The house was covered, from
chimneys to basement. with flags and bunt-
ing, and ON the lawn were ten large tents
lettered from A to X, each being intended
for the company whose letter 1t bore. In
the tents and all over the grounds were
placed chairs, and in the center of the lawn
was huge hogshead of iced lemonade, and
near by stand loaded with pipes and tobac-
co for the veterans use.
The veterans commenced to arrive on the
8 O'Clock train, and kept coming all day, there
being present some over 100 of the Twenti-
eth, and perhaps half hundred or more Of
invited soldiers and guests.
AT o'clock the line was formed and
marched through the principal Streets in
the following order:
Lockwood Band.
Go. IL, M. V. M, Watervile.
r,,,,,a ", =. Heath Post, g. A. r., Wateryille.
in'i'e9 GHests ana members Of Companies A, B,
Y, ID, 4. L, 9, III. l, and X, Twentieth
Maine Regiment,
The line was in co mmand of Col. Bangs
and Comrade S. L. Miller. A march was
made through the principal streets, the
stores and houses on every hand displaying
bunting. flags, etc.. to the skating rink, where
most elaborate banquet was served by the
ladies, the tables being literally buried be-
meath their displays Of beautiful flowers and
store of toothsome edibles Some 800 or 400
partook of the repast their every want BE-
ing attended by some of the forty young la
dy walters, dressed in white, and wearing
caps made of flags daintily edged with lace.
AT the conclusion of the feast, Mai. Mel
cher OF Portland, arose and in fitting words
expressed his feelings of pleasure at meeting
his old comrades and at the unbounded hos
pitality of COL Bangs and the ladies of Wat
erville. He introduced S. L. Miller of the
Lincoln County News, marlborough, sec
rectary of the association, who was greeted
by three cheers.
Comrade Miller said that in preparing the
entertainment the executive committee had
tnought that toasts were little old fashioned
and that they concluded to introduce in their
place, "reminiscences of some of the old SOL
diers present. he read letter from Gen.
Adelbert Ames, expressing his regrets at
being unable to be present. The Generals
name was greeted with three rousing cheers
that nearly lifted the roof.
Gen. John M. Brown of Portland was
then introduced, being also heartily re-
ceived. 1t gave the General unalloyed
pleasure to be present with his old regiment,
of which he was adjutant, and he was sorry
not to be able to call each one by name. He
regretted he could not share with the regi-
ment all her honors, but was with it in its
baptism of blood. When he received the
appointment he was on the train on his way
to attend celebration of the 250 anniyersa-
ry of planting the first English colony at the
mouth of the Kennebec. He left immedi- |
ately for the post Of duty. He knew moth |
ing at that time beyond the simple rules of |
military duty, and it took him a long |
--rLiio to md OUT ho knew nothing.
So it did the Twentieth Maine, but when it |
commenced to find out it knew nothing it
commenced to become great. Gen. Brown
was transferred from the regiment before
Charlottesville, he was with Gen. Ames,
and never saw braver and more conscien-
tous officer than he, absolutely without fear,
his heart was touched by all sorrow, but
stern disciplinarian that made the regiment
what it was. Everywhere he was the. same;
one of the very best. Gen. Brown owed very
much to Lieut.. Col. Chamberlain. He was
always his dear friend whose counsel always
cheered and encouraged him, and without
him his army life whould have been much
less enjoyable than it was
A cordial letter was then read from w. H.
Hodgkins of the Thirty-sixth Massachusetts,
Regiment, which was so closely allied to the
Twentieth Maine, rendering his regret, and
inviting all to their reunion which occurs the
second of September.
Col. Bangs, on being called upon to say
something about Antetam, said he took
great pleasure in meeting all once more,
many I whom he had not seen since the
war and on the occasion of 'silver we'd
ding" he felt like kissing the bride and
embracing the children" He told about the
and said the boys were then ver-
| liable ''innocents Abroad hardly know
ing the, muzzle from tthe breech of
gun and both were dangerous in their hands.
| pecting to annihilate rebeldom right away.
| The men did their duty at Antietam all that
| was required of them We hear what the
| officers accomplished, but the strong right arm
| of the men did the fighting. What a word is
| comradeship. 1t means that together we suf-
| Tered defeat, enjoyed victory, and saved our
| country, our homes, wives and children, and
all that made life worth living for. And what
country we saved, extending from the frigid
zone, of the north to the torrid zone of the
| south; and from the harbored coast of Maine
| to the golden shores of the Pacifc--beyond
all precedent the envy and glory of the world.
Rev. 9. A. Southland was next introduced
and spoke of his short service in the Twen-
| tieth, and of his feeling as though he had but
| a small right to be present. He could glory
| in nothing but an honorable discharge. He
| was the first man shot in the regiment. He
was only little fellow then, and if he had
| been as big assat present he said he would
have got twenty bullets instead of one. He
| was unconscious three days with the lock-
| jaw and never perfectly recovered, three
months afterwards receiving an honorable
| discharge.
| One of the color guards:of the regiment, of
whom there were three present, then read a
sketch of the battle of Gettysburg, after
| which the veterans adjourned again to the
| headquarters at Col. Bangs's.
| The old soldiers of the Twentieth present
to-day from Portland were DR.. w. q. True,
| seargent of the 20th 4. l.. Hunnawell, Co.
D.; Lieut. j. w. Walker. Co., d.. Major
MelcneT, 20. r., ana Lieut.. EDWARD +. Mer-
Iill, 1st Maine Cavalry, formerly of Co. ID.
| Among other prominent members of the goth
| present were Gen. Joshua l.. Chamberlain,
Rev. Theodore Gearish of Biddeford, j. f.
Loud, prominent physician in New York
| City. DR.. K. s. Cohan Of Garland. Rev. C. A.
/ Southard of Orono. Editor S. L. Miller of
| the Waldoboro News, Capt. p. M. Fogler of
| Augusta. Gen. John M. Brown of Portland,
| and Col. Fuller, of the 4th New Hampshire
| Major Melcher was reelected president of
| the association; Frank Rogers, vice presi-
dent, and s. L. Miller, secretary. The next
| place and time of meeting together with
| other important matters were left to the
| executive committee.
In the evening the different organizations
marched to the Town Hall amid the display
of fireworks and listened to the following:
Reading of records; song by ladies quartette !;
| poem, Rev. Theodore Gerrish, "When we
were mustered in;" neurology, Capt. P. NJ.
Fogler; song by quartette; Grafton, Gen. J.
l.. Chamberlain. The hall was crowded and
| the different parts, especially the poem and
Grafton, were interrupted by enthusiastic ap-
plause.
The Twentieth Maine Regiment was mus
tered into service August 20, 1862 for three
years, and served till within two months of
the expiration of that time, the end of the
war shortening it, The regiment served
| in, nc haftlas a & 0o,,iv a,xd